


One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)

by HeyGoodLookin



Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: Angst, Feels, Gen, JJ is a true gentlemen, Kie just wants to love, andmoreangst, but also feels, heavyangst, lightangst, scene, season 2 prediction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:55:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25624759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeyGoodLookin/pseuds/HeyGoodLookin
Summary: After spending a night with Pope, Kie runs to the person she was meant to be with in the first place.Aka. A season 2 scene prediction
Relationships: JJ & Kiara (Outer Banks), JJ/Kiara (Outer Banks)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 53





	One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)

**Author's Note:**

> So this scene has been floating around in my head for WEEKS and I've finally gotten it down.   
> Not sure if it turned out exactly how I wanted it, but such is life.   
> Also, the story title is One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)- a devastatingly beautiful Bob Dylan tune.   
> In my head, I imagine Kie is a die-hard Dylan fan. She tries to get JJ to listen to it, but he doesn't like it at first. I imagine he thinks it's too whiny. But then he decides to listen to a record alone one day and he starts liking it.   
> Anyway, that's a long winded explanation for the title of this scene. Do yourself a favour and listen to it, because I feel like it matches the vibe perfectly.   
> Thanks so much y'all!! Let me know what you think or if you have any recommendations. I'm currently working on another JJ/OC story as well as more chapters of Somewhere Safe.   
> xoxoxo

It was close to one in the morning when JJ heard pounding on the door of the chateau. He’d taken to staying there. Anywhere was better than going home to his dad post Phantom heist. He hadn’t been home yet. He’d drifted between staying in an empty storage unit, the chateau, and sometimes crashing with Pope. Staying with Pope was becoming increasingly difficult, though, since him and Kie had gotten together.

That’s where Kie was that night; she had stayed over at Pope’s and JJ, despite their pleading, had left. Groaning and finishing his joint, JJ made his way over to the door. He opened it with a grunt and practically gasped. Kie was standing there, arms wrapped around herself, sobbing hysterically. She kept saying she was sorry over and over and over and God, he didn’t know what to do.

Kie couldn’t control her breathing. She wanted to throw up, cry, die, and run away all at once. Dimly, she registered JJ stroking her arms up and down. He somehow lead them over to the pull out and knelt in front of her.

“Breath Kie,” he whispered. She heard him counting and running a soothing hand through her hair. And as good as it felt to have JJ’s comforting voice so close, he was part of the problem. She couldn’t stand his tenderness. His unfailing loyalty. She’d hurt him. Betrayed him. Of course, she knew JJ probably wouldn’t see it that way. He was too used to having people hurt him. She realized, as she pulled back from his touch, that she didn’t deserve him at all.

“JJ…” Kie tried to stabilize her breathing. “I fucked up.”

“So what else is new,” JJ tried to smirk. “I’ve fucked up more times than I can count.”

“I—I don’t deserve you.”

“Bullshit.”

“I fucked up.”

“Stop saying that. You didn’t fuck anything up,” JJ tried to reach out to her again, but she flinched back.

“I almost had sex with Pope,” Kie whispered. She looked up and saw JJ’s jaw clench and unclench, but his expression remained unreadable.

“What?” JJ needed to hear the words again.

“I almost sex with Pope. He wanted to and I said I was okay with it, but then I freaked out. We fooled around and… _oh God_ ,” this time Kie’s words came out as more of a sob.

“Okay,” JJ replied evenly.

“Okay?” Kie cried. “How is that okay?”

“You guys are together, right? So why should I care if you guys fuck?”

“Because!” Kie ran a hand through her tangled hair. “I almost lost my god damn virginity to a guy I’ve been lying to. I thought I liked him, but I was lying to myself and to him. I mean, Christ, I fucking left as soon as he fell asleep.”

“So tell him,” said JJ.

“And say what? Oh hey, sorry we went down on each other. It didn’t mean anything and I was just using you to feel better because I’ve been in denial over something that is so god damn fucked up I just—“

“Shhhh, Kie,” JJ approached her slowly again. “Breath. This isn’t as fucked up as you think, okay?”

“It is,” Kie let him touch her again, despite her hesitation. JJ was about the only thing that was keeping her from falling apart completely.

“Kie, listen to me. I don’t even remember my first time. I mean, sure, I’m a guy, so that’s different I guess, but still. If guys can have sex whenever and with whoever they want, shouldn’t girls?”

Kie’s eyes widened. “You preaching feminism now?”

“I learned from the best,” JJ tried to smiled comfortingly. “Just talk to Pope and explain things to him. Maybe you guys can work things out.”

“I can’t,” Kie gasped. “We can’t.”

“Why?” JJ brushed her tears away with his thumb.

“Because it’s you,” Kie took a deep breath and looked up at him.

JJ stared down at her in shock. “What?”

“I can’t be with Pope, because it should have been you all along, but I’ve been too much of an idiot to see it.”

“Don’t do this Kie,” this time JJ took a step back. It was too much. He couldn’t be the reason for her and Pope breaking up. He wasn’t worth it. Pope was good to her. He’d get out of the cut and make something of himself. Kie couldn’t leave Pope; smart and good Pope, for a Maybank.

“It should have been you,” Kie’s tears flowed freely.

“Don’t say that.”

“Are you seriously denying how you feel now?” Kie swiped at her eyes angrily. “After everything we’ve been through. After all the flirting and all the bullshit, you’re going to stand here and tell me that you feel nothing between us?”

“I didn’t say that,” JJ’s hands twitches nervously.

“Then say something! Be angry with me! Tell me I’m horrible and terrible and _fuck,”_ Kie buried her face into her hands. She registered JJ sitting down beside her, but she didn’t move.

“I’m not mad at you, Kiara,” JJ said softly. _Kiara_ , not Kie.

“You should be.”

“Well, I’m not. But I will be mad if you break up with Pope over this. I’m not worth it, Kie. Pope is.”

Kie lifted her head at his words. “You’re so worth it.”

“No, I’m not. You can have a future with Pope. You can get outta here and travel the world.”

“I could do that with you too.”

“Not likely,” JJ deflated. “I’m probably gonna drop out next year anyway if I’m not stuck in a reform centre.”

“JJ…”

“Don’t _JJ_ me. I almost flunked everything last year anyway, so why bother? If you stick with Pope, you’ll be able to get outta this place and make something of yourself.”

“Why are you defending my actions?” Kie was stunned.

“Because you’re better off with him,” said JJ in a low voice.

“But I don’t feel anything for him. I can’t keep lying to him.”

“You can’t leave him for me,” JJ looked directly at her. There. He’d said it. He’d said what he’d been feeling the entire time. Kie was better off with Pope.

Kie shook her head weakly. “So you’re telling me, you don’t feel anything between us? You don’t feel anything for me?”

“I’m not answering that, Kie.”

“Stop denying it!” Kie gestured wildly with her arms.

“You can’t have feelings for me,” JJ tried to keep his cool.

“You can’t tell me who to have feelings for! That’s _my_ job and they’re _my_ feelings! You do _not_ get to control them!”

“I’m just looking out for what’s best for you!” JJ couldn’t help but raise his voice slightly. She just wasn’t getting the point. She needed to leave and go back to Pope, where she belonged.

“Look at me, JJ,” Kie reached out a shaking hand to cup his face. “Look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t feel anything. If you can do that, I’ll leave.”

“You’re my best friend, Kie,” JJ felt his composure crumbling. God, the affect this girl, this _woman_ had on him was insane.

“You’re mine too.”

“Don’t make me say this.”

“Say it,” Kie ran her thumb along his cheek absentmindedly. “Say you don’t have feelings for me and I’ll go.”

“Just go back to him, Kie.”

“I won’t until you say it.”

“Kie!”

“Just say it!”

“ _Fuck!_ ” JJ put a shaking hand over top of her own. “I can’t.”

Kie stared into his eyes. “Then what do you feel?”

“I…” JJ couldn’t take his eyes off her. Even in the midst of a breakdown, with their friends lost God knows where at Sea, she was so beautiful. “I don’t like you, Kie.”

“Okay,” Kie moved to drop her hand from his face, but he held it there.

“I—“ JJ took in a shuddering breath. “I don’t just like you. God damn it, Kiara, I love you. I’m not even sure what love is, but I’m pretty sure it’s this. I’m pretty sure it’s every time I look at you, every time we fight, every time you go on about single use plastic, and every time you try and tell me that you’re a better surfer.”

Kie opened and closed her mouth, unable to form proper words. “Why…” she studied JJ carefully. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“Because I figured you didn’t feel the same way. I mean, first you came up with that stupid ass no-pogue-on-pogue-macking thing. Then John B kissed you and now you and Pope…”

“You’re the one who flirts with every girl with a pulse! How was I supposed to know how you feel?”

JJ held onto Kie’s hand tighter as he processed her words. “I was only doing that to get over you. I knew I didn’t stand a chance with you. You don’t get it, Kie. Guys like me don’t get girls like you. It’s not the natural order of things. You’re way out of my league and everyone knows it.”

“That’s not true,” said Kie. “If anything, you’re way out of my league. How do you think I felt, watching you go through all of these super hot blonde chics? I look nothing like them.”

Her words made no sense to JJ. Kie was incredible. He’d always thought so. But then again, if Kie’s lectures on feminism taught him anything, it was that woman’s beauty standards were messed up. He hardly liked the fact that he’d somehow made Kie feel undesirable.

“I’m sorry,” JJ said simply before hesitating. “I… I should have known better.”

“You’re a guy.”

“And you’re always the first person to say that that’s no excuse,” said JJ.

Kie couldn’t help but let out a watery chuckle. “True, that.”

JJ smiled weakly. “I really love you, Kie.”

“I’m pretty sure I love you too, JJ,” Kie looked up at him again. He blinked down at her and she realized there was no going back. “Actually, I’m sure I love you too.”

She leaned forward and for a split second, she felt him do the same, only to pull back abruptly.

“We can’t do this.”

“What?” Kie tried to move towards JJ again, but he put his hands on her shoulders, holding her back.

“You’re with Pope,” he said shakily. This was what he was afraid of. “Too much shit has already gone down.”

“And I need one thing to go right.”

“Kie, please,” JJ pleaded. He didn’t like how desperate he sounded.

“JJ, listen to me,” Kie wrapped her arms around herself. “You deserve to be happy. You deserve to love and be loved. Whatever lies you’ve been told for years and years and whatever you’ve been lead to believe, it’s not true. You’re a good, loyal, person and you deserve to be happy.”

JJ saw the way Kie was folding into herself, all scared and shaken, and gathered her into his arms. He wished he could put her back together again; make all the mess go away. He wished they could all be together, drunk at a kegger, so they could mack on each other and blame it on the beer.

“If we start this…whatever _this_ is…I wouldn’t be being loyal to Pope. He’s my best friend too and I can’t hurt him like this. He loves you.”

“Not the way you do,” said Kie, the words muffled in his shoulder.

“Kie, you need to listen to me to, okay? I want to be with you. Fuck, I want to be with you more than anything else. But it’s just not the right time and…”

“And…?” Kie raised her head and looked into JJ’s eyes again. He was crying softly.

“And I’m out of excuses.”

“Good,” Kie’s gaze shifted from his eyes, to his lips, and then back up again.

“What about Pope?” JJ could feel Kie’s breath fan across his face.

“I’ll talk to him.”

“Talk to him first,” said JJ. Jesus, their lips were a millimetre apart.

“JJ…” Kie breathed. She just wanted to kiss him. Nothing else made sense besides them in that moment.

“Go back to him, Kie. Talk to him. I’ll wait.”

“Okay,” Kie pulled back. She knew in her heart, he was right. If they were going to have a shot at being happy together, they had to go about it the right way. And no matter which way she sliced it, if she kissed JJ, she’d be cheating on Pope. Nobody deserved that.

JJ breathed a sigh of relief. “How’d you get here?”

“I ran,” Kie said simply.

“Jesus,” JJ couldn’t help but smirk. “That desperate, were we?”

“Shut up, JJ.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll drive ya there.”

“Thanks,” Kie got up. She knocked over a bottle of whiskey by the pull out. “Have you been drinking?”

JJ picked the bottle up and put it on the dresser. “Not hard alcohol. I was tempted. I wanted to, but I didn’t want to resort to that,” he paused. “My ol’ man drinks whiskey.”

“Right,” Kie’s arm twitched in a kind of offering.

“Awe, what the hell,” JJ pulled her into a hug.

“We’ll make this right, JJ. We’ll get you away from your dad. You’ll go back to school and maybe John B and Sarah will come back too.”

“Yeah,” JJ rubbed her back soothingly. “That would be real nice.”

“We’ve gotta have some hope.”

“Kie?” JJ shivered as Kie ran a hand through his hair.

“Yeah?”

“You didn’t fuck up.”

Kie pulled back to look up at him again. “Thanks, JJ.”

“No sweat,” he smiled. “Let’s get you back to Pope’s okay? Let’s fix this.”

Kie nodded. “Okay.”


End file.
